Whiskies in the Sweet Spot: Rated 93 points or Higher And $100 And Under

There’s an old joke about real estate that the best time to buy a house is 20 years ago. That crack is probably even more relevant to today’s whisky market. Most of us have heard the war stories—about bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle, Port Ellen, and other now-precious whiskies that once sat on store shelves ignored for months and even years because no one was interested. But as for selection, there’s no time like the present. Over the past two decades, the whisky world has changed beyond all recognition, and that’s true of every style across the board.

In rye, the market is now comprised of countless labels, whereas 20 years ago there were only three distilleries making the stuff—Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, and Beam. While bourbon has always been prominent, the proportion of change has been the same. Craft whiskeys barely existed two decades ago, and now there are 2,753 craft distilleries across the nation accounting for nearly 8% of total spirits sales, according to the American Craft Spirits Association. Ireland has gone from a mere four distilleries in the 1990s to over 40 today, most of them with an eye toward selling their whiskey in the United States. And Irish Distillers, which accounts for most Irish whiskey sales around the world, has been branching out from its core Jameson brand to make more of its single pot still whiskeys—Redbreast, Powers, and the Spots—as well as exploring new expressions for its biggest brand, Jameson. In scotch, new cask finishes and other variations on traditional themes are also in the mix. Add to that a reinvigorated Japanese whisky scene, which is still behind the curve because of supply shortages, and we’ll have even more. Smaller but not to be forgotten are the world whiskies from India, Australia, New Zealand, continental Europe, and elsewhere. As if that’s not dizzying enough, there is also the razzle-dazzle of a constant influx of new limited releases, making it even harder for whisky shoppers to keep track of things.

And all of this has come, of course, with another rising curve: higher prices, which make buying decisions even more difficult. Amid this sea of new whiskies, many of them with prices too high above the quality of what’s in the bottle, it can be tough to ferret out those that will deliver the best bang for the buck. We’ve put together these lists to help you with that, selecting whiskies with at least a 93-point rating from our tasting panel and a suggested retail price of $100 or under. We chose the 93-point threshold to home in on the very top whiskies, while at the same time finding a price range for everyone.

On the subject of pricing, let’s return to that real estate joke for a moment. In any other business sector when there is an explosion of supply, it brings an implosion of price. So why, amid all this influx of new whiskies, have prices continued to rise? Part of the reason is that whisky inventories were so dramatically low when the boom began, the result of paring back during the industry’s lean years. By 2010 or so, there wasn’t enough juice to supply the boom, and whisky makers scrambled to meet demand by adding warehouses, installing new stills, and throttling up production, notably in Scotland and Kentucky. No-age statement whiskies were all the rage as producers waited anxiously for their distillate to mature. That process is ongoing, so a lot of this new supply has yet to hit the market. Once that happens in a more significant way, we’ll know more. But a return to the days of seeing the best whiskies go begging may likely never return, or at least not for a long time. This whisky boom is no fad. Yes, there are casual participants who might eventually lose interest, but there is an enormous crop of new devotees that continues to grow.

AMERICAN BEAUTIES

Two decades ago, a bourbon priced at $50 would barley be considered sellable. Now those whiskeys are the hardest ones to find on the shelf at retail. Our archival reviews show that a 20 year old Van Winkle had a suggested retail price of $90 in 2005. Now it’s priced at $200 but selling for over $3,000. Indeed, many quality bourbons have moved to the top of the pricing spectrum and even become—dare we say it—luxury items. Among other American whiskeys, the rise of rye and the wide range of craft whiskeys is now complemented by the emergence of American single malt as a style. We’ve been able to include a number of those malts on this list, which will be particularly instructive because the style is so new to most drinkers. Overall, the variety across the American whiskey space is impressive, especially considering it was once considered just a monolith of big brands.

One notable fact about this list is how many of the American whiskeys have an ABV of at least 50%. Does that mean that high ABV denotes quality? We emphatically say no. We taste quite a few high-ABV entries every year, and a great many of them simply rely on their proof. So while high-proof American whiskeys do seem to have the upper hand, that’s because they’re well-crafted in addition to being high-powered.

All told, American whiskey dominates the U.S. market, dwarfing scotch sales exponentially, so it’s not surprising that the American side has the highest number of entries on this list. It also shows how domestic whiskey pricing has moved up over the years. Bourbon, as noted, was always generally more affordable than single malt scotch, but that’s become less of a sure thing; now many of the most exalted bourbons are actually more expensive. But there are still plenty of reasonably priced American whiskeys out there, and we’ve gathered some of the best. It’s a healthy mix of newer releases and old standbys, and despite the rise in prices over recent years, American whiskey across the board arguably still presents a solid value proposition on the market— if you choose wisely.

BOURBON AND TENNESSEE

97 Jack Daniel’s Bottled in Bond Tennessee whiskey, 50%, $30

Honeyed peanuts, brown sugar, dark chocolate, melted caramel, and spice

95 Knob Creek 12 year old, 50%, $60

Cinnamon, allspice, ginger, berry cobbler, chocolate ganache, and caramel

94 Barrell Craft Spirits 6 year old Cask Strength (Batch 035), 58.75%, $90

Baking spice, cinnamon bun, Big Red gum, espresso, and dark chocolate

94 Booker’s Charlie’s Batch, 63.3%, $90

Released in batches, each scoring consistently well, this one was a chocolate bomb

94 Charles Goodnight 6 year old Small Batch, 57.5%, $80

Raisins, dark chocolate, peanut butter, and fresh raspberries

94 Old Elk Port Finished, 54.05%, $90

Light spice, orange, red berries, poached pears, and well-integrated oak

94 Old Ezra 7 year old Barrel Strength, 58.5%, $80

Spices, nut butters, earthy tannins, and toasted pecan

94 Old Forester 117 Series Bottled in Bond, 50%, $60

Brown sugar, cola, fresh peanuts, Fig Newtons, Raisinets, apples, and cherry

94 Three Chord 12 year old Twelve Bar Reserve Barrel Proof (Batch 0007), 58.5%, $80

Baking spice, nuts, milk chocolate, orange soda, cherry cough drop, and brown sugar

94 Tumblin’ Dice Single Barrel (No. 10B), 58.7%, $60

Chocolate-covered nuts, coffee bean, cordial cherries, ginger, and pepper spice

94 Wheel Horse, 50.5%, $35

Butter pecan ice cream, cinnamon toast, maple syrup, and vanilla custard

93 Angel’s Envy, 43.3%, $50

Ripe berries, candied tangerine, toffee, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon

93 Baker’s 7 year old Single Barrel (No. 000185706), 53.5%, $60

Blackberries, dried fruits, licorice, and cinnamon

93 Bib & Tucker 6 year old Small Batch (No. 24), 46%, $46

Blueberries, peaches, golden raisins, lemon iced tea, root beer, espresso, and spice

93 Elijah Craig 10 year old Barrel Proof (Batch A124), 59.5%, $75

Dark chocolate, caramel, orange, baking spice, marshmallow, and mellow oak

93 Filibuster Single Barrel, 59%, $60

Espresso, tea, spice, oak, dark fruit, milk chocolate, pecans, and peanuts

93 Four Roses Small Batch Select, 52%, $60

Cherry Coke, cough syrup, orange oil, dark fruit, black pepper, and chocolate

93 George Dickel 8 year old, 45%, $33

Spearmint, mixed berries, nougat, honey, and spice

93 Hirsch Selected Whiskeys The Bivouac (Batch 0822), 50%, $55

Spice, cooked plums, dark chocolate, cinnamon, mature oak, and dunnage floor

93 Larceny Barrel Proof (Batch A124), 62.1%, $65

Spice, chocolate cake, cinnamon, baking spice, and cherry pie

93 Moonlight Mayhem Extended Cut Cask Strength, 57.5%, $80

Hazelnuts, powdered sugar, cinnamon doughnut, maple syrup, and chocolate

93 Nelson’s Green Brier Nelson Brothers Reserve Blend of Straights, 53.9%, $65

Blueberry pancakes, French toast, jelly doughnut, spice, and raspberry syrup

93 RD One Small Batch Brazilian Amburana Finished, 55%, $80

Basil, sweet peppers, cloves, vanilla frosting, and berry compote

93 Thomas S. Moore Chardonnay Cask Finished, 48.95%, $70

Dried cherries, peanuts, lemon and orange peel, baking spice, and marshmallow

RYE

94 Elijah Craig, 47%, $34

Spice, cherry cola, baking chocolate, dark fruits

94 Hemingway Signature Edition, 51%, $80

Red berries, lemon, oak, and spice

94 Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof, 56.1%, $70

Nuts, spice, herbs, strawberry, sweet citrus, mint, pine, and cedar

93 Frey Ranch Bottled in Bond (Batch 1), 50%, $60

Chocolate-covered cherries, cinnamon, maple syrup, plums, walnuts, and mint 93 Hard Truth Sweet Mash Barrel

93 Hard Truth Sweet Mash Barrel Strength (Batch 005), 46.5%, $70

Cloves, spiced oranges, cinnamon, cracked pepper, toffee, and brown sugar

93 Old Overholt Bottled in Bond, 50%, $25

Berries, allspice, cacao, and walnuts

93 Still Austin Cask Strength, 58%, $65

Sweet tea, mint-chocolate chip ice cream, oak, French toast, and macerated berries

92 Ezra Brooks 99, 49.5%, $25

Pepper spice, honey, celery juice, raw kale, and milk chocolate

AMERICAN SINGLE MALT

94 Santa Fe Colkegan Cask Strength Small Batch (BBL98), 59%, $80

Sweet citrus, campfire smoke, mesquite, and dark berries

94 Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction, 46%, $75

Crème brûlée, dark berries, vanilla, char, and chile pepper

94 Westward Cask Strength, 62.5%, $100

Creamy vanilla, baking spices, jalapeño peppers, dark chocolate, and black coffee

93 Andalusia Stryker, 50%, $59

Irish breakfast tea, pine, vanilla, caramel, hardwood smoke, minerality, and menthol

93 Breuckelen 77, 50%, $75

Spices, black tea, Cherry Coke, pecans, and espresso

93 Whiskey Del Bac Normandie, 48.5%, $90

Apple pie, toasted bread, grill char, musty malts, and fresh-cracked black pepper

WHEAT & OTHER

94 Bernheim Barrel Proof A224 wheat, 62.60%, $65

Baked apple, orange peel, musty aged oak, chocolate fudge, and vanilla

93 Bull Run 15 year old Pinot Noir Finished (Batch 019), 48.89%, $50

Peach, apricot, pear, spice, vanilla cream, and cinnamon

93 Sweetens Cove Kennessee Finished with Toasted Sugar Maplewood, 55.35%, $50

Baking spice, berries, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and cinnamon babka

SCOTCH: DRAMS THAT DELIVER

Scotch whisky almost always delivers on quality, and it’s fair to say that the quality and variety from Scotland have never been better. But scotch has not been immune to whisky’s pricing spirals, and some famous names have seen their pricing creep above the $100 level even on some of the core expressions.

Scotch whisky pricing, especially for single malt, has always been on the high side, even if the rest of the whisky world has caught up to some degree.

In recent years scotch has been plagued by U.S. trade tariffs (now suspended), shipping delays, and high raw materials costs, all of which combined to put a damper on imports to the U.S. But recently things are rebounding, and the good news for scotch lovers is that there has been at least some restraint on prices, as producers seek to woo bourbon-centric American drinkers. Still, the new product onslaught that we’ve seen in American whiskey hasn’t been quite as intense for Scotland.

While most of the entries on this list are single malts, four blends are also included, two of which are blended malts. Blends have always delivered on price, but usually have been overshadowed by single malts in quality, which makes it interesting to see them hit the list. Among the most affordable offerings here are Dewar’s 12 year old and Glenfiddich 12 year old Amontillado. The Amontillado is the only single malt that is priced below $60.

SINGLE MALT

95 Glenglassaugh Sandend, 50.50%, $70

Peach, apricot, honey, pound cake, vanilla, and sea salt

95 Highland Park Cask Strength (Batch 4), 64.3%, $100

Pink grapefruit, exotic spices, citrus, dark chocolate, and heathery peat smoke

95 Torabhaig Allt Gleann Legacy Series Batch Strength, 61.1%, $90

Golden raisins, honey, spice, baked orange, and poached pears

94 Arran Sherry Cask The Bodega Cask Strength, 55.8%, $85

Raisins, figs, candied ginger, orange peel, grape jelly, rose oil, cocoa, and pepper

94 Benriach The Smoky Twelve, 46%, $78

Sweet smoke, toasted almond, apple, cinnamon, hot cocoa, and smoked salt

94 Blackadder Black Snake Vat No. 2 Sixth Venom, 59.9%, $76

Orange peel, spice, and fruit

94 Glenmorangie The Nectar 16 year old, 46%, $100

Baked fruits, apricot, orange Jell-O, orange honey, and pepper

94 Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength (Batch 011), 58.6%, $70

Citrus, sherry, brine, peat smoke, vanilla, and charred oak

94 Lochlea Cask Strength (Batch 1), 60.1%, $100

Apple cider doughnuts, vanilla wafers, candy corn, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg

93 Aberlour A’Bunadh Alba Cask Strength, 57.1%, $90

Poached pear, malt, nougat, lemon curd, toasted coconut, and spice

93 Ardbeg An Oa, 46.6%, $68

Sweet peat, black tea, cloves, aniseed, black pepper, and smoke

93 Ardnamurchan, 46.8%, $70

Lemon, poached pears, sea salt, peat smoke, vanilla cream, peaches, and apricot jam

93 Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie, 50%, $65

Peach, melon, honey, spice, herbs, light smoke

93 Craigellachie 13 year old Bas Armagnac Finished, 46%, $65

Spice, honey, baked apple, vanilla, espresso, and black pepper

93 GlenDronach Cask Strength (Batch 12), 58.2%, $100

Leather, cedar, honey, and gunpowder

93 Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, 60%, $85

Baked orange tart, lemon meringue pie, chocolate malt, raisins, and pepper spice

93 Glenfiddich 12 year old Amontillado, 43%, $55

Orchard fruit, rich oak, dried fruit, and spice

93 Glenlivet Fusion Cask Rum & Bourbon Cask Finished, 40%, $100

Honey, soapy, and minerality

93 Isle of Rasaay Hebridean, 46.4%, $75

Peaches, spice, blueberry compote, chocolate, and spice

93 Jura 18 year old, 44%, $100

Fresh raspberries and other red berries, mature oak, earthiness, and char

93 Meikle Tòir The Sherry One 5 year old, 48%, $75

Dark chocolate, smoke, blackberry, burnt sugar, espresso, and spice

BLENDS

94 Dewar’s 12 year old, 40%, $30

Honey, citrus, black pepper, dark chocolate, smoke, vanilla, oak, and espresso

93 Ardray, 48%, $85

Citrus, vanilla, crème brûlée, smoke, spice, caramelized sugar, and peach jam

93 Compass Box The Peat Monster blended malt, 46%, $65

Cracked peppercorn, mustard seed, citrus, brine, tar, and smoked olive

93 Sheep Dip Islay blended malt, 40%, $55

Bacon fat, peat, cocoa, satsuma, spice, malt, and burnt caramel

IRELAND: VARIETY RINGS IN A NEW ERA

Irish whiskey has always been relatively price-friendly, though the problem was that there was never all that much variety. That has changed over the years, and this comparatively short list contains nine entries. Six of those are single pot still, a sign that Ireland’s promise as a newly revived land of the style is indeed happening. We expect to see far more Irish single pot still in the coming years, as a number of producers, like Slane, Dingle, Clonakilty, and others are expected to begin releasing them on a more regular basis.

Illustrating the fact that newer start-ups are emerging beside Irish Distillers and Bushmills is the presence of recently founded brands on the list, including Limavady and Two Stacks. And showing the reach and diversity of Irish Distillers beyond Jameson is the presence of four of its other brands—Powers, Redbreast, Method & Madness, and Green Spot.

SINGLE MALT

94 Limavady Single Barrel (0039), 46%, $50

Barley sugar, butterscotch, candied orange peel, and pepper spice

94 Teeling Blackpitts, 46%, $89

Orchard fruit, panna cotta, pepper spice, tangy marmalade, smoke

93 Bushmills 12 year old, 40%, $63

Date loaf, fig, chocolate orange, oak tannins, black tea, walnut, sweet wine, and honey

SINGLE POT STILL

93 Green Spot Quails Gate, 46%, $70

Red apple, cranberry sauce, cherry, clove, nutmeg, and salinity

93 Kilbeggan, 43%, $45

Orange, apricot, vanilla, and pot still spice

95 Method and Madness French Chestnut, 46%, $80

Confectionery sweetness, dark prunes, cinnamon, and clove

94 Powers John’s Lane 12 year old, 46%, $77

Fruit, chocolate, spice, coffee, marmalade on buttered toast, and barley sugar

93 Redbreast Lustau, 46%, $85

Fruit, oak, walnut, marzipan, and spice

93 Two Stacks Cabernet Franc Ice Wine Finish, 56%, $90

Cherry, pot still spice, strawberries, and sweet vanilla

ELUSIVE JAPAN

Given the scarcity of the supply of Japanese whisky, the category has lately been seen as fairly unapproachable, divided between the smaller high-end whiskies and price-friendly labels like Toki or Nikka Days that, while quality whiskies, are essentially meant for mixing in Highballs, and are placeholders for the longer-aged whiskies that are still not mature enough to hit the market. But the Japanese entries on our list, while admittedly few, do show that there are quality selections out there at relatively reasonable prices. There are others that fall just below our 93-point/$100 and under threshold, such as Fuji and Hibiki Japanese Harmony. Once inventory levels in Japan return to normal, we should be seeing plenty more.

94 Nikka From The Barrel Blend, 51.4%, $65

Butterscotch, orange peel, poached pears, coffee, old oak, chile pepper, and ginger

93 Ohishi Sakura Cask-Finished rice whisky, 42.7%, $90

Honey, strawberry, spices, caramel, stone fruit, light cherry, and red apple

93 Fukano single grain (Edition 2223), 41.6%, $90

Orange, vanilla, brown sugar, lemon, clove, and peppercorn

93 Hakata 10 year old Sherry Cask single malt, 42%, $80

Browned butter, nuts, plum, damson, balsamic vinegar, clove, and chocolate

CANADA DELIVERS

Canada, long perceived as the land of big, high-volume brands that don’t offer much oomph for the true whisky lover, surprises here with seven entries: one from Crown Royal and another (Lot No. 40) from Hiram Walker. While there is still not much groundswell of a whisky renaissance in the North Country, small players like Shelter Point and Macaloney’s are doing very interesting things with single malt, contributing quality across the board.

94 Lot No. 40, 43%, $30

Sour rye, wet slate, fruits, sweet spices, white pepper, licorice, dates, and vanilla

94 Masterson’s 10 year old straight rye, 45%, $95

Caramel, honeysuckle, burnt firewood, rye spices, and oak tannins

93 Caribou Crossing Single Barrel, 40%, $55

Vanilla, crème brûlée, toasted marshmallow, tangerine, and peaches and cream

93 Crown Royal Noble Collection Barley Edition, 45%, $80

Spice, chai, lemon zest, black tea, raspberries, cinnamon, and glazed fruit tart

93 Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve, 40%, $55

Creamsicle, marzipan, sultana, praline, maple syrup, and coconut macaroon

93 Macaloney’s Single Cask Series Kirkinriola, 46%, $95

Bananas Foster, peach melba, lemon meringue, vanilla frosting, and butterscotch

93 Shelter Point Ripple Rock, 46%, $70

Chocolate orange, allspice, chocolate-covered raisins, toasted oak, and smoke

WORLD WHISKIES

Whiskies from non-traditional overseas whisky regions in Europe, India, and elsewhere are an often- overlooked grouping, partly because of limited U.S. availability. But India in particular is well worth a look, as it has rapidly shed its old reputation for low quality in favor of well-crafted, complex whiskies with their own unique character—powerful and tropical, but not at all rough-edged. From continental Europe, German distiller Eifel has been a particular standout—we only wish more of it was available. High Coast from Sweden and English whiskies from The Lakes and Cotswolds are also ones to watch.

94 Eifel Whisky German Peated Duo Malt (2021 Edition), 46%, $90 (Germany)

Dark toffee, black cherry, black currant, caramel, and spices

94 Indri Single Malt Trini The Three Wood, 46%, $60 (India)

Vanilla, creamed coconut, pepper, baked peach, citrus peel, clove, and chocolate

93 Millstone 100 rye, 50%, $100 (Netherlands)

Chocolate, allspice, ground cinnamon, and rye spice

93 Armorik Double Maturation, 46%, $62 (France)

Salted caramel, chocolate, fruit, caramel, malt, and gentle spices

93 Rampur Double Cask single malt, 45%, $80 (India)

Stewed fruit, citrus peel, toffee, caramel, gentle spices, lemon, and lime

93 Cotswolds Reserve single malt, 50%, $100 (England)

Cherry pie, plum, strawberry, fudge, vanilla, pepper spice, and baked cherries

93 The Lakes The Whiskymaker’s Editions Rivêa, 46.7%, $100 (England)

Nectarine, cotton candy, cherry, red apple, watermelon, citrus peel, and oak spices

93 High Coast Hav single malt, 48%, $60 (Sweden)

Apricot, peach, honey, dried tropical fruits, and spices